Lyari sweep will take a few more days, police say

Karachi : The police officer leading the operation against gangs in Lyari yesterday said it might take another couple of days to rid the district of mafia members.

Mohammad Aslam, the senior police officer of the Crime Investigation Department (CID), told the press that "tonight or tomorrow night, we will get the whole area vacated."

The police had to put up with staunch resistance from gangs in Lyari as they were firing rockets and hurling grenades. They also set up bunkers and positioned themselves atop tall buildings.

Police said the gangsters were using human shields for their defence and this was the most difficult part of the operation.

"They are using children and women for their protection and our shooters need to be very careful while taking them down," Aslam said.

However, police captured some of the offices of the proscribed Peoples Peace Committee, which was said to be patronising gangs operating in Lyari.

Overnight, the police took over Cheel Chowk, a key area under the gangs' control. Intense fighting was on to rid Afshani Lane of miscreants.

All the units of CID were summoned to reinforce the operation.

The three-day battle till yesterday claimed 19 lives, including police officials, gangsters and civilians caught in the crossfire.

Stranded for the past three days, residents in the area have started fleeing to safer places. They staged protests at the juncture of Guru Mandir and Jamshed Road and set tyres on fire.

Meanwhile, provincial home minister Mansour Wasan, in charge of law and order, said he is going on a month-long medical leave abroad.